There are some important new trends related to user needs and website usability factors that contribute to the decision to refresh and redo an entire website:
- Evolving User/Customer/Stakeholder Needs:
- User needs and audience expectations change due to organizational priorities, new methods of working, and new information.
- · Continually improving website usability standards
- Websites must remain fresh and relevant to users and potential users in order to have them continually return for knowledge acquisition and to want to contribute information and knowledge;
- User expectations for information acquisition, search, retrieval as well as usability standards change frequently as the world wide web grows and adapts therefore it is important that website managers respond to this by undertaking reviews of content, usability and bringing the system up to date regarding the most current standards for KTE (knowledge transfer and exchange) and usability.
- Other tools and information sources become available, therefore organizations wish to remain leading edge in understanding their audience and user needs for information in order to remain relevant; and
- Importance of establishing website goals: Organizations that wish to remain the leading or premiere sources of information and by extension have their users and stakeholder continually returning to their website must be cognizant that there are three primary methods for accessing, finding and exploring information on a KTE website and each method must be optimized for usability standards so that they are easy and intuitive to use:
- Access: The website’s first and second level information architecture;
- Find: Search and information access through search engines
- Explore: Guided navigation using indexes to drill down to explore, find and access desired knowledge and information.
- To remain fresh, appealing and bring users back the website must have an easy, intuitive means to upload new knowledge and information in a variety of formats;
- That usability standards are present and systematically accounted for on the website to make the user experience as easy, simple and rewarding as possible.
It is important to note that new technologies and indeed a refreshed design may help to increase the awareness and penetration of the ideas, practices and methods as part of a broader marketing strategy. The corporate or product marketing strategy and any new directions for the website need to be aligned carefully.
